An Open Letter to Health Information Managers Association of Nigeria (HIMAN)

With sadness in my heart and tears rolling down my cheek I write this letter to you, It is now crystal clear that you have no idea of what it takes to be an association, since 1966 that Late Mr ABIODUN ONASANYA of blessed memory laid the foundation of what this profession will build on and grow I’m glad to inform you that you have succeeded in achieving NOTHING, you have failed us, you keep wasting our resources to hold your yearly conference which amounts to NOTHING.
It’s a shame I have to painstakingly write this letter to chastise you because this is not the state of HIM in Nigeria that ONASANYA visioned it will be and it shows how incompetent you are in maintaining the growth of this profession and to realize the fact that you have lost the vision which is now a wild goose chase, I hail and salute the courage of many great minds who had at one point in time been in charge of the affairs of the association since the days of ONASANYA but what do we have to show for it right now.
You have never single handedly conduct a productive program and seminars for all practitioners at all levels in all the states of the federation not one or two practitioners who at the end of the day will retire with the knowledge without sharing it which amounts to NOTHING, you prefer to favour the old than the young and vibrant minds who can contribute more to the growth of the profession, what can you identify that has been done with the huge fund remitted to the association from all the recognized health care organizations in Nigeria, you have never once thought about the greats and legends of this profession to raise landmarks and monuments for them for posterity’s sake it’s a shame the new generation don’t know about the struggles of our founding fathers but all you do is waste funds on things that are irrelevant and not productive, all the suggestions and policies made at every year’s conference never get to be implemented or done and amounts to NOTHING and the same routine is repeated every year hoping to get a better and different result, WHO IS FOOLING WHO? what a reprobate mindset.
There is nothing tripping about the profession, people don’t even know the profession exist in Nigeria with the huge fund spent yearly on conference, No new innovations, No creativity, No sweet and new ideas, No books on Health Information Management not some hand to hand notes copied to be a textbook only few go out of their ways to order for books from developed countries like USA and the association of the profession does not even have a library talk less of having and recommending good books for schools, No special event for students to show their brilliancy and test their knowledge, No quarterly seminars, No training and re-training of practitioners, No shred of honour, patients call us card issuer or officer when you are lucky, No jobs for those who depend on you, No effect of HIM on any health care institution to make claims, No organized research studies either prospective or retrospective on any disease to enable the government notice the profession, No name calling for professionals other than OFFICERS (Which begs the question are we in the Nigerian military force?) it is a known fact that every federal government worker is an officer but they are not necessarily addressed by that or are doctors called OFFICERS too?
Have you wondered why Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) is so successful and respected it’s because they grow everyday in knowledge and power and how can you have knowledge it’s by making researches, formulating ideas and implementation of policies to foster the growth of the profession and when you have knowledge power comes and when you have power, power is power. They organize certification programmes to empower themselves, they invite competent professionals from developed countries to come and share with them new ideas and knowledge of Medicine and we can see the results today, they have plans, programmes, policy and procedures to approach new ideas for the betterment of their profession but you as the mother association of the profession NOTHING is done and one tends to wonder if you exist at all.
It is a wonderful shame that a profession of over five(5) decades is still crawling and doesn’t have an idea on how to get things done properly, all what you do best is to waste resources on NOTHING, ONASANYA and the GREAT MEN AND WOMEN who are no longer amongst us are all shedding tears where they are right now and are shaking their heads on how money matters, fraud, wastage of resources and power tussle has replaced the vision of the association, my question is what is your role and vision for this profession?
My piece of advice is wake up to your duties and responsibilities, do your job in piloting the affairs of this great profession well, we are tired of being relegated to the background and rubbished, we are tired of the shame, we are tired of the abuse, we are tired of the lack of the professional standards we cannot take it anymore we deserve better, the young minds full of passion and commitment to the growth of this profession in Nigeria are coming and with or without you we will do exploit. We will take over like wildfire, we will replace you, make Health Information Management in Nigeria great again and give a new name to the association; NIGERIAN HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGERS ASSOCIATION (NHIMA) which will lead to the rise of a new DAWN in Modern Health Information Management profession in Nigeria!
My name is IDOWU MERCY OLUFEMI (AMIIM) ASSOCIATE MEMBER INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AFRICA, and I just want to make sense! I hope to hear from you soon.

IF ANYBODY ASK YOU “who are those speaking?”
It’s the future of our noble profession speaking,…
The leaders of today…
We are a mountain
We are a tall tree
Ohhhhh, we are swift wind
Sweeping and trying with our voices
We are a river
Down in the valley
Ohhh, we are a vision
And we can see clearly
If anybody asks u who we are
Just stand up tall look ’em in the face and say
We are that star up in the sky
We are that mountain peak up high
Hey, we are going to make it in this profession
And we have no where to go cos we are in it
Raise up your head o ye young bloods of my noble profession
We are the world’s greatest
And we are that little bit of hope
When our back is against the ropes
We can feel it hmmm
We are the world’s greatest
We are the giant
We are the eagle
We are the lion
Down in the jungle
We are a marching’ band
We are the people
We are the young bloods
We are the loud voices in the air
If anybody asks u who we are
Just stand up tall look ’em in the Face and say… we are the NEW ERA OF TRANSMOGRIFICATION.
No more sleeping we are on the move.
Thank you.
28/06/2016